Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Happy Birthday Mom!



Just a big shout out to my mom: "Happy Birthday... We will see you tomorrow for Taco Night, then come back to my house for cake and gifts! We love you!"

Monday, August 29, 2005

Is It Time For Bed Yet?


what a day, what a day,
i must say, i must say...


thank goodness it's time for bed,

we need to rest our sleepy heads...







another day will be starting soon,

it's time to say 'goodnight moon!'

J musta been having PS2 withdraws... Posted by Picasa
and here is the little big boys playing in their room too... Posted by Picasa

WE MADE IT!

doesn't it always happen that there MUST be some set back to a very important day... like the 1st day of school...and when you get ready to leave you find that your set of keys were left in the van yesterday because E used his set when we went to church and my set were left in the tray in the van...oh joy- i say... call E- he's way to far away on a delivery to bring me his key...ok- call Heather...thank goodness for stay at home moms and sister in laws, huh. (I guess i do love you guys LOL ;) --- i say, well we have a little problem this mornin', she like; what now?
anyways, she came and got us and everything worked out fine, E got back in town and I got my van in time to pick everybody up...

Geez, what a day so far...
B makes a pot of coffee... Posted by Picasa
got to get the hair spiked just right... Posted by Picasa
J's ready to go with his Fear Factor binder... Posted by Picasa

Sunday, August 28, 2005

1st day of school...


(first, i know k's party stuff posted backwards, sorry)

J just came in and told me, "titi-(thats what they call me) i'm so HAPPY about the 1st day of school tomorrow"...i'm was set back a bit for a second..."you are, i'm so glad you're so happy about going to school"...

the girls are just ready...they are used to all the lingo about school by now... b.. (who just got home from an 8 hour shift at staters) "says-oh my what am i gonna wear tomorrow?" - (senior stuff, i guess) v.. says, "well, i already know what i'm wearing, ha, i'm ready!"- (sophomore stuff, i guess)

i thought that was pretty cool!
she's ready to open up gifts! Posted by Picasa
Nana Lynn with their youngest sister, ashlyn (ashlyn has a different daddy than the other 3) Posted by Picasa
this is K and J's younger sister, Chloe...Their grandparents have her and their younger sister Posted by Picasa
J in the bouncer... Posted by Picasa
With her new dvd player! Posted by Picasa
K with her cousin... Posted by Picasa

Princess' Birthday!

As you can see, K's party went well. She got a lot of nice things, thanks everyone! She wore her Snow White dress for a little while then she got too hot from jumping in the jumper and stuff.

When Eric walked in with flowers for her, she absolutely loved it! Of course, she posed for a couple of snapshots with those flowers in hand!

Her b-day is tomorrow and she'll be 4! We've had her since she was 11 months old. She is growing up so fast. Sometimes I can't imagine how anyone could take the chance of missing out on this! GOD has blessed me with my neice and nephew and I would not change it for the world!

(I even made the cake too, isn't it cute!)

School starts tomorrw, so we have my daughters, B=senior, V= sophomore and J, my nephew= 2nd grader- K officially starts her Pre-K class at daycare on Sept.1 when I go back to work!

Here are some more pics from K's party...

Friday, August 26, 2005

Been sssooo Busy...NOT!


Well, kinda busy lately and kinda just plain LAZY this last week. I mean Monday we did go down to the beach, but after that....pppssshhhh...not too much been going on at ALL. I guess you're supposed to do that sometimes when you're off for a week, huh? Yesterday we hung out over at Heathers for the afternoon and the kids played and swam and we sat around and had tacos for dinner. Now today, I came to realize that I had stuff to do that meant- "get yourself together and get busy, K's princess party is tomorrow and you have stuff to do!" ok, i'm back on track now, it's not like I sleep in or anything- I still get up like I'm needing to get ready for work... Habit, huh? This morning I was supposed to be at Heathers by 9:30 to babysit for her ( she had a dental appt) so I figured, ok no alarm necessary-the kids will be up way before then and we are only 5 minutes away at the most. well, here it was --- 6:45am- and I'm tring to go back to asleep- I mean really, the kids aren't even awake yet- NOPE...forget it- might as well just get up and make some coffee- whatever. I haven't even posted anything since Tuesday and that was about those dead jelly fish.

It has been back to being HOT here the last couple days too. That probably doesn't help either. It's almost 11:15 pm- and I've got K's cake cooling. She has been so excited today- she kept getting all of her princess decorations, plates and napkin, etc out and lining them all up in the front room and then counting each item. Then about 30 minutes after I put the cake in the oven she comes in and says, "what is that smell, it REALLY smells good"... It was too cute. She is growing up too quick, for next time this year, she'll be getting ready to start Kindergarten... my...my...where does the time go?

Ok there is my update for now- of course after tomorrow, I'll post pics from K's birthday party. I think everything is set to go- got the cake cooling, ( will decorate that tomorrow) hot dogs, hot links, potato salad, chili and nachos... and a pinata!

Oh yeah, the jumper will be here between 12-1 pm---YEAH!
(I want some jump time before everyone gets here, ya know what I mean!)

Hope ya'll enjoy your weekend!

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Why The Dead Jellies...

You know that I had to find out why so many were dead- even though i don't like them, i had to know what causes this... and here it it is...

THE RED TIDE -(i really did not know what this was either until reading about it)
The Orange County Register


The persistent and ongoing red tides may be why jellyfish invaded Orange County shores during the past few weeks. Thousands of jellyfish were seen in the water and dead on the shore, mostly on Newport and Huntington beaches. The jellyfish were looking to feed on plankton, biologists said.

(We know- we SAW them: see picture i took on previous post about 'a day at the beach')

Massive blooms of the single-celled organisms can turn the ocean reddish and make nighttime waves illuminate with a glow.

Another possible reason the red tide has returned is that the water has cooled significantly - the early morning temperature in Newport on Tuesday was 60 degrees, whereas a week ago it was in the low 70s, said Newport Beach Lifeguard Capt. Eric Bauer.
It's difficult to tell how long it will be around.
"You never really know how long it's going to last," Steers said.

Bridal Shower Ideas?


My sister is getting married in Novemeber 05 and I think I should start planning her a bridal shower, shouldn't I? I've done a little searching about it since I've never hosted one before but any ideas or suggestions from you married women out there who had a bridal shower? Ya'll know I'm not rich or nothing so most likely I will have it at my house. Should others help me out or what? Please help!

Here's some of the info I pulled up...

Bridal Shower Basics
Brides and those who love them often face some confusion concerning the hows and whys of throwing a bridal shower. With a few basic pointers, however, you can have a shower that is a worthy predecessor to the Big Day itself!
History
Friendship and support is at the center of the bridal shower tradition. While the origins are lost in legend, bridal showers have long been an opportunity for friends and community members who are not within the couple's family to demonstrate their emotional and practical support for the new household with gifts of household and other tangible goods. Because showers are meant to be an outpouring from the community, they are not usually arranged or hosted by blood relatives.

Etiquette
History and tradition play a role in bridal shower etiquette, but most brides expect and enjoy individual variations and creativity to mark this special time in their lives.
Bridal showers usually take place two months or less before the wedding date, though usually at least two weeks in advance to keep from interfering with wedding-related arrangements. One exception? Brides who plan destination weddings or who expect many long-distance travelers sometimes have their showers two days before the ceremony, when friends and family will be gathered together.


Practical matters
For the hostess, bridal shower planning should begin in earnest at about the same time that the invitations go out, or longer for more elaborate or larger parties. For restaurant showers, book a private room and guarantee as accurate as possible the number of attendees. If holding the shower in a private home, determine what food is necessary, and then decide what to prepare, what to purchase, or what to have catered. If a number of planners will be providing some or all of the food, make sure that the expectation about what and how much to bring is clear. The traditional afternoon shower usually features a light lunch or just snacks, desserts, and beverages.
For a home shower, make sure that there are enough chairs and tables for guests and food, and have fun selecting and placing decorations. To make it easier on the hostess, other bridesmaids should volunteer to help with the set up, take down, and clean up from the shower.
Finally, the hostess (or a volunteer) should keep a pen and paper handy to keep track of gifts and givers, and to make sure that she has proper contact information for each guest. The bride will appreciate a complete and detailed list when she sends her thank-you cards.

Well, what do ya think?

Monday, August 22, 2005

Isn't this awesome... Posted by Picasa
me and becca Posted by Picasa
j checkin out the bait Posted by Picasa
becca and taylor Posted by Picasa
i know this pic is a little dark- but I love it... Posted by Picasa
Heres the jelly-fish Posted by Picasa

A Day At The Beach...



Today was great! I had to stop in at work for a few moments and then we drove out to the beach- about an hour drive. I am officially on vacation now til sept 1. We had a great time-its been a while since we've been to the beach- Becca, my 17 year old was off today, so she and her friend from work, Taylor went too. Kaylee and Jeremy had so much fun- We walked up and down the beach and the pier and the kids got to see fishermen cleaning bait fish and other little fish too, they even held one- (stinky)- eewwww. we also saw some dead jelly fish that had washed ashore-(i kept asking if anyone knew why they had died, but nobody did) (knowing me, i research it)) that was kinda gross- although we had never seen one so up close- I posted a pic for you guys to see. Other than that, We played in the waves and I sat in my chair and watched the kids play and read. It was really nice!

Sunday, August 21, 2005

7 Things...

I was tagged by Heather ( who also taught me last night to do a link...thanks!) This might take me while as I will have to do some thinkin...

(I know, some of us share the same answers on some of these-nothin wrong with that, huh? :)

7 things I plan to do before I die
1. Get married
2. Make sure my children are happy and successful
3. Get to know my dads' (who past away last year) side of the family more-who all live in different states
4. Take the family to DisneyWorld in Florida (this would be 'big' due my fear of flying)
5. Purchase a motorhome and do some real vacationing
6. Pay off our home and retire happily with Eric
7. And of course-become the best grandma around!

7 things I can do
1. I can drive a stick (I had to put this in here girls-LOL:)
2. Scrapbook
3. Learn things very quickly
4. Take care of my family
5. Sing (ok, only a little)
6. Decorate my home for Halloween and throw an awesome Costume Party every year
7. And, according to Heather , I can BBQ too!

7 things I cannot do
1. I cannot stick to my diet and exercising routine- (I am really trying)
2. Lose weight and keep it off -(jeez, that goes with #1)
3. Sew on a sewing machine- (I really want to learn)
4. Keep inside of my van clean
5. Fly - that is in an airplane- (only have once for 35 minutes, and that was long enough, I was terrified)
6.Keep as much money in savings as I'd like-(and continue to add to it)-(gosh, I really need to be-what if something comes up - ya know with the cars, house, plumbing, etc)
7. Pay off this one credit card I've had for years- It was my 1st one, and every month, I pay a little over the min-which is mostly interest- that sucks

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex
1. Eyes
2. Sense of humor
3. Smile/Mouth
4. Heighth
5. Must love kids
6. Be able to just go with the flow
7. And have fun!

7 things that I say most often
1. 'thats enough you two'
2. you guys really need to clean up your rooms
3. Close the door PLEASE!
4. Hurry up you guys, I'm gonna be late for work
5. I love you the mostest with the hostest! And to the moon and stars and back again..
6. J-you stay on this side of the street-you hear me?
7. Yes babe, I'm gettin' on the computer right now, gotta problem with it?

7 celebrity crushes
1. Rob Lowe
2. Brad Pitt
3. John Travolta
4. George Clooney
5. Tim Mcgraw
6. Kenny Chesney
7. Toby Keith

7 people I want to do this
1. The Martins
2. Debbie
3. Mlwhitt
4. Crouching Mommy
5. Mrs. Fun
6. Two Girls and A Guy
7. Emily

Ok...there ya'll go- all my seven's!!!

Enjoy!

Are Housework and Mowing The Lawn Equal?


I did a little investigating ( after having an issue this weekend with my fiance) and would also like your guys' opinions on this, and for all my blogger friends out there , ask your hubby or signifigant other his or her opinion too please! Here are a few facts I found online about households that have 2 full time working parents who have had the same issue I did this weekend...


Work & Family Challenges
Housework

Housework is a major issue for dual-earner couples and single parents struggling to balance the multiple demands of both work and family.
Families must confront two issues related to housework in their efforts to balance work and family. First, they must decide what or how much needs to be done. Second, they must decide who will do it.
The first question may seem simple. Think about the following question, however. When doing housework, how do you know when you have done an adequate job?

Housework is a major issue for dual-earner couples and single parents struggling to balance the multiple demands of both work and family.
Families must confront two issues related to housework in their efforts to balance work and family. First, they must decide what or how much needs to be done. Second, they must decide who will do it.
The first question may seem simple. Think about the following question, however. When doing housework, how do you know when you have done an adequate job?
There are no clear-cut criteria for a job well-done. You can always think of something else to do or something that could be done better.
Therefore, many people devote more time and energy to housework than is necessary. They do it better than it needs to be done. This takes away from the time and energy they could devote to their spouse, children, job or self.
This is particularly true for women. Many women still receive and are vulnerable to messages that reinforce the traditional idea that the appearance of their house says something about them as a person.
The key to resolving this problem is for family members to consciously place housework within their own family's unique system of priorities. If they decide that taking the children to the park or devoting extra time to an important work project rank higher, they shouldn't feel guilty if the end result of their housework does not meet some vague, external standard held up by relatives, friends or the media.
The second issue of who does the housework is particularly problematic for the dual-earner couple. If both the husband and wife are employed full-time, basic fairness should result in the sharing of household tasks. This does not always occur, however.
One national survey found that only a small minority of husbands in two-earner families perform as much as half of the housework and that over half do less than a quarter of it.
Studies indicate that employed wives have about 10 fewer hours of free time each week than either employed men or housewives. Employed wives often use weekends to catch up on cleaning and shopping. Employed husbands often use weekends to do odd chores and then catch up on their rest, watch television or play sports.
Evidence is accumulating that women are becoming less tolerant of the inequities. In fact, studies find that housework is a major source of conflict for young families.
Analyzing the way housework currently is performed in your family is a good way to begin addressing the issue of who does it. Ask yourself two questions: "Has the division of household labor changed as our family situation has changed?" and "How do I feel about the division of labor?"

Now, in my case, i totally understand where E is coming from, we've been here a little over 3 months now...1st time homeowners, and yes the lawns look great, ( it did when we bought the house) and I love our yard. And I also understand that it takes work to keep it up. Mowing and edging front and back once a week and automatic sprinklers do the rest. But, it seems like that is ALL he worries about, ya know, besides a front and back yard, we do have a living room, family room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and three bedrooms that also is part of OUR home. and thats not including the cooking for our family of 5 every night after working all day long, and making sure that we have clean clothes for work/school and daycare, getting all kids ready in am the am and safely delivering them to their destinations before driving myself to work by 7:30am...Am I just being selfish about this or what...Does anyone out there have any advice for me? May'be I am just in need of a serious, and i mean serious break...